What is the difference between a Direct current and an alternating current?

Answer 1

There is a site you may want to look at, below.

otherwise:

DC stands for direct current. It is current that starts at one place and flows in one direction to the end destination, hence the name Direct.

AC stands for Alternating Current. The current flows in one direction for a period of time and then switches direction, going the opposite way. It switches diretion over and over again continuously. In the united states the AC current in power lines goes switches direction, forward to backward, then backward to forward, 60 times each second.

Answer 2

Okay, time for a serious answer! AC or altenating current reverses direction every cycle, For instance in The U.S., household electricity is at 60 cycles per second. This means that the polarity of the voltage changes 60 times in one second. DC is a constant current flow in one direction and does not change.
Alternating current can be produced at ANY frequency or wavelength!
DC voltage can also be negative with respect to the source!
DC current will not only give you a shock but can easily kill you if the current is high enough!
Direct current does NOT have to come from a battery! It can easily be produced with a full bridge rectifier and filter capacitors or from a generator!

Answer 3

Direct current electricity flows in only one direction, and voltage is determined at its source and cannot be changed.

In contrast, alternating current (AC) electricity changes direction many times each second. Devices called transformers can use this change of direction to increase or decrease the voltage of electricity flowing through them. Some of the largest transformers can raise voltage to as high as 700,000 volts for efficient transmission. Transformers on the receiving end then step the voltage back down to the 110 or 220 volts that most household appliances require.

Answer 4

SIMPLE EXPLANATION! Wow- hope some of these answers were jokes.. It has to do with electron motion. Direct current would be if you are trying to fill a pool with a bucket of water and you (the electron) would run to the pool dump the water and then run back to the tap and get more and keep doing that. Alternate current would be if you had a bunch of people (electrons) form a line from hhe tap to the pool. the bucket would be handed from one person to the next until it got to the pool and get dumped in. Now Voltage an such would be like if you get a bigger or smaller bucket. So whether direct or alternating you can still get wet...umm I mean get a shock!!

Answer 5

Direct current (DC or "continuous current") is considered as the constant flow of electrons in the single direction from low to high potential. This is typically in a conductor such as a wire, but can also be through semiconductors, insulators, or even through a vacuum as in electron or ion beams. In direct current, the electric charges flow in the same direction, distinguishing it from alternating current (AC). A term formerly used for direct current was Galvanic current.

whereas

An alternating current (AC) is an electrical current whose magnitude and direction vary cyclically, as opposed to direct current, whose direction remains constant. The usual waveform of an AC power circuit is a sine wave, as this results in the most efficient transmission of energy. However in certain applications different waveforms are used, such as triangular or square waves.

Used generically, AC refers to the form in which electricity is delivered to businesses and residences. However, audio and radio signals carried on electrical wire are also examples of alternating current. In these applications, an important goal is often the recovery of information encoded (or modulated) onto the AC signal.

the graph of direcy current will be straight and alternating current will be a sin graph

hope that help
bye
Deepak

Answer 6

With AC the current flows back and forth with the changes in the polarity of the alternator. DC uses a battery so it only flows in one direction, from negative to positive.

Answer 7

Hi there;
Direct current is when the electrical current runs directly from power source to ground (positive to negative sources).
Alternate current is when the direct current is interrupted at specific intervals. Example: A Pulse. All household current is run to the house by DC (direct current) then is transformed to AC (alternating current).

Answer 8

Direct Current comes from a battery and does not rejuvenate itself, Alternating Current comes from a source that does rejuvenate itself

Answer 9

One is direct, one alternates. It has to do with the waves in the electricity.

Answer 10

DC don't give u a shock, AC does.
:)


In AC, direction of current keeps changin' bet'n two poles. Normal frequency for domestic supply is betwn 50-60hz.

DC flows in one direction.

HIH